2015 Porsche Macan S: Excellent Suspension Tuning

June 24, 2014

Our long-term 2015 Porsche Macan S has a firm ride, but it is very well-resolved. The chassis does not get upset by bumps, and it's never crashy or unduly stiff. Nor is its ride busy. The Macan is alert yet compliant. Simply put, its damping is just spot on.

There's no fancy multi-mode dampers or air suspension at play here on our base-spec'd Macan S, either. Just plain-jane twin tube jobs and steel springs and bars.

Suspension tuning, my friends. But that's not all.

Further aiding the cause here is the Macan's tires. True, they're all-seasons, which I'm not crazy about. On the plus side, the Macan's tires are not run-flats, so their sidewalls have compliance that plays along harmoniously with the dampers. Certainly the optional summer tires (also non-run-flats) are a better fit for the sport-tuned nature of the chassis as stated.

The Macan stands as a great example of how to tune a suspension to be sport-oriented but not offensive. I'm looking at you, Mercedes-Benz CLA250.